Books and Skateboards
by Zentauria
Summary: Jinora can't stop being a good influence, and Kai can't decide whether he should be annoyed or grateful. [Modern AU, written for the Probending Circuit]


**Team: Laogai Lion Vultures**

 **Position: Firebender**

 **Equipment: Weights**

 **Word count: 2237**

 **So, originally, I was going to submit this for the Earth Disc equipment, and the prompt given is "** **This is not how I pictured I'd be spending my Saturday night" for dialogue. Now, I kinda doubt the Avatarverse knows Saturdays, which is why I decided to make a Modern AU for it. Then the word count went up and up and up, and I realized I'd get more points for submitting this OS for the Weights equipment, but the prompt and the Saturday is still in it.  
**

* * *

"Catch me if you can, spinach puffs!"

"Why, you little..."

The expression on Kai's face could easily be called the mother of smug smiles. He pushes his foot against the ground with provoking ease, always staying just out of his pursuers' reach while egging them on with the occasional insult.

That gang of losers will never catch him, but he loves seeing them try. He pushes a little harder, makes his skateboard roll a little faster. Wind ruffles his hair, and Kai nearly laughs out loud. The thrill of the chase, his booty clutched in his hand, the joy of being in control, knowing he could win this little game at any time he chooses...

Dang, stealing is fun!

The guy he stole from, a brutish bully-boy with the build of a wrestler but the brains of a flea, cries in outrage as he sees his quarry slipping away and lunges. Kai ducks under the swipe, not even breaking his rhythm. The boy's two goons are a bit more clever, they try to sandwich him and jam his wheels with sticks, but Kai has been practicing since he was old enough to stand on a skateboard. And this park is his home turf.

"Sorry, you need to do better than that. So long, suckers!"

And with a mock salute, Kai slams his foot down the tail of the board. The beaten wood seems glued to his feet as he sails through the air and lands on a handrail, a handy slide to ride. At the bottom of the stairs he calls a final "And thank you!" before rolling off, leaving a trio of seething teenagers behind. Once he's out of the park and a safe distance away, he sits on a bench and checks himself for wounds. He got away unscathed, as far as he can tell, but one can never be too careful. Plus, his foster parents would freak if he got himself hurt.

He's in the middle of rolling up his jeans when he hears his name spoken from above. He lets the fabric be and looks up, a small smile on his lips. He'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"Hey, Jinora. Where did you spring from?"

His classmate and friend rolls her eyes, but a snicker betrays her true feelings. "The library is right across the street."

He should have known, it's just like Jinora to visit the library on a _Saturday_. She even carries her favorite backpack, which Kai suspects to be magically widened somehow. Jinora always seems to stuff more books into it than physically possible.

"You're such a nerd. Care for a gum?"

Kai procures a pack of mint gum from his pocket. It's been crumpled slightly during the chase, but it's still perfectly good chewing gum. Jinora eyes it warily.

"Let me guess: You stole it?"

"Duh."

The girl sighs. "You know you shouldn't be doing this."

Yes, he does. And since Jinora found out, he's been having an increasingly tough time convincing himself he doesn't care. He's been infatuated with that girl since the moment he laid eyes on her, and he wants to leave a good impression. And yet...

Kai grits his teeth. "You want some or not?"

Wordlessly, Jinora stretches out a hand and Kai drops a stick of gum into her palm. She pops it into her mouth while Kai takes one for himself, then she shrugs off her backpack and plops onto the bench next to him.

"So, what was it this time?"

Kai hums noncommittally. "Some bullies ganging up on a girl on roller blades. She was a beginner, I guess, didn't seem to know what she was doing. They pushed her around and made fun of her until she cried, I couldn't just stand by and watch. So I took the leader's gum pack and made them chase me so the girl could get away."

"Did she?"

"Dunno, didn't stick around to check. I was kinda busy _not_ sticking around, y'know? But I think she did, drawing those bullies' attention wasn't that hard. Speaking of which, what happened to _your_ roller blades?"

Kai knows Jinora never goes anywhere without her roller blades. The two of them are very similar in that respect, both enjoying the feeling of cutting the air at top speed, the wind whipping past their ears. A little taste of the freedom they can't have, stuck as they are in the daily grind of school life.

Jinora shakes her head. "One of the wheels fell off when I put them on, and Meelo lost the screwdriver I need to reattach it."

"Bummer."

"Well, mum told him he's not allowed to play video games until he finds it. I'm sure it's back in the tool box by the time I get home." Jinora gets up and smooths out her dress. "But now I need to return some books. Wanna come with me?"

"Sure." Kai grins and picks up his skateboard. The library is not exactly the place he'd choose to hang out, but with Jinora, how bad can it be?

The two teens cross the street and enter the nondescript concrete block. Though it doesn't look like much from the outside, the inside more than makes up for it. Sunlight streams through the high windows of the multistory building, illuminating the shelves filled with books, CDs, DVDs, board and video games, and even the occasional tape or record. Potted plants break up the gray with green dots. Desks are strewn out at random, some with computers, some without. The children's corner features beanbags and small tables, inviting kids to relax with a comic or a game.

It's not a bad place. In fact, Kai would come more often if he weren't allergic to letters. A library simply can't beat a skate park, no matter how nice it is.

He follows Jinora to the counter, skateboard still under his arm. The librarians usually watch the things which are too big to stuff them into a locker, and Kai's skateboard definitely fits the bill.

He's not surprised when Jinora announces that she's going to look for new books, so she disappears among the lockers to store her backpack away, now empty except for some writing utensils. Kai hands his skateboard over and waits for his friend to rejoin him so he can take on his role as the tag-along again. Leafing through books is hardly interesting, however, watching Jinora doing so can be pretty fascinating – the way she smiles at reading the title of a favorite, or the way she wrinkles her nose in distaste when she comes across a book she doesn't like. She laughs, she sighs, she hums, and Kai can't help thinking how cute she is. It makes the trip worth its while.

One time when she's standing on her toes to reach for a certain book, Jinora asks, "So, how is your essay coming along?", and Kai's heart skips a beat. A memory is stirring, but he can't quite grasp it.

"What essay?"

"You know, the essay we're supposed to write until Monday? The one about Chin the Conqueror?"

Jinora pulls down the book she was grabbing at, and Kai realizes it's a history textbook for eighth graders, similar to the one they use in class. Now that's awkward... He could slap himself.

Jinora laughs softly. "You've forgotten all about it, haven't you?"

"Yes..." Kai admits, shifting uncomfortably in his spot. Jinora shoves the history book into his arms with a smirk.

"Better get started then. There's a desk over there, I'll get you some paper and a pen."

"Sheesh, will you stop being a positive influence on me?"

Jinora simply grins and skips off. Kai stares after her, then heaves a deep sigh and turns at the bookshelf. "This is not how I imagined my Saturday night," he grumbles and picks two other books off the shelf. No way he'll be done before the library closes at nine, and knowing Jinora, she'll insist on borrowing the books for him. Then he'll have to explain the books to his foster parents. He could say they're for homework and fail to mention the forgetting part (completely accidentally, of course), but he won't be allowed to go out again until he's finished this essay. His foster mum is strict that way. Which means either working the night shift or no visiting the skate park tomorrow. Oh joy.

Resigning himself to the inevitable, Kai drops the books onto the nearest desk and opens the one which happens to be at the top of the stack. Jinora returns with pad, pencil case and a book for herself, and for a while, the two teens remain in silent concentration. Then Jinora's curiosity gets the better of her and she scans Kai's notes. Her eyes almost pop out of her head.

"I hope you're not planning to write that into the actual essay."

"What?"

"'He was probably compensating for his shortness'? You can't write that into a text for school."

"How else am I supposed to reach the word count?"

Jinora purses her lips. "Try 'It's been proven that he had been of short built. However, his prowess often conjures the image of a larger-than-life figure.' And then you can go on writing about his accomplishments."

One of Kai's eyebrows takes a detour upwards. "You know, half of that went right over my head."

"And that's why you should read every now and again."

"I'll stick to skateboarding, thank you very much."

Jinora chuckles. "You know what? If you manage 1500 words before the library closes, I'll treat you to dinner. There is a great pizza place down at the Tui&La Embankment."

"Jinora, you don't have to..."

"I insist."

Kai's shoulders slump. There is no arguing with this girl. The obvious way out is not writing 1500 words worth of essay, but something tells him that Jinora would drag him to Tui&La Embankment anyway, and the more he writes now, the less he needs to write later. Plus, pizza with Jinora sounds way too amazing to pass up, even though he feels uncomfortable making her pay for him.

Alright, here goes nothing...

* * *

The sun is setting when the two teens arrive at Jinora's pizza place. It's a takeaway and relatively inexpensive, a fact which eases Kai's conscience a little. The two teens settle on a wall reinforcing the riverbank, their legs dangling right above the water, skateboard and backpack behind them on the path. The wind blows around them, unhindered by buildings or trees, and Kai relishes the feeling. He breathes deeply, letting the fresh air soothe his nerves and carry his problems away. For a moment, his mind is free.

"This place is amazing."

"It is," Jinora agrees. "We can come here more often if you like."

"Definitely!"

That said, the two begin unboxing their pizzas. They're still warm, and positively delicious. Kai blissfully munches away.

At least, until Jinora pipes up, "Kai?"

"Hmm?"

"Maybe it's none of my business, but I've been wondering how you casually steal things and then make a fuss about me buying you a pizza."

Kai almost chokes. That's striking indeed, no denying it. "I only steal from those who deserve it. You don't. Plus, I don't like being indebted to people."

"You don't owe me anything."

"So you say."

Jinora frowns, and Kai realizes with shock that he indirectly told her he's suspecting some sort of ulterior motive. Which is not nice.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply..." he sputters, then takes a deep breath to calm himself. "Look, I really like you. And I do trust you. But... it's hard, okay? No foster family ever kept me longer than three months. I don't know how Bolin and Opal managed to tolerate me for the last six months, but I'm long overdue and when they kick me out, I don't want to look back and think about how I leeched off this amazing Jinora girl."

With his gaze trained at the pizza in his lap, Kai doesn't notice Jinora's cheeks turning crimson at the compliment. She quickly composes herself.

"Kai, look at me." Kai does as told. Jinora's expression allows no doubt of her sincerity. "You're not a leech. Sure, stealing things for kicks may not be the way to do it, but I don't mind. Because I know you don't mean any harm. You're a genuinely nice guy, and you're fun to be around. I'm sure your foster parents see that, too. Give them a chance. Besides..." Jinora scoots a little closer and their shoulders touch. "I'd hate to see you send away."

Kai feels like he's about to melt into a puddle of goo. How long has it been since someone talked to him like this? Since someone called him a nice guy instead of a freak, since someone encouraged him to try and build a good relationship to his foster family instead of betting on how long they'll last? Since someone honestly wanted him around?

"Thank you, Jinora. I'll try. Promise."

A smile spreads on Jinora's lips. She turns her attention back at her pizza and Kai remembers his own dinner. He picks up a slice and chews on it appreciatively while Jinora's shoulder provides him with comfortable warmth in spite of the rapidly cooling evening winds.

This is not how he pictured his Saturday night. But he wouldn't have it any other way.


End file.
